04 March, 2008

The Cattle Chute

Viewed to the left is a real cattle chute and below, The Cattle Chute, as I like to call the office of the school where we teach, because of how the hallway reflects the dimensions of the one cowboys use. It doesn't take too much imagination to picture the one jammed up with cattle, and the other with people.

Picture this. Tatiana is sitting at her desk at one end of The Cattle Chute, taking phone calls, talking with students, and prospective students who are crowded all around. People are trying to make coffee or tea there, or grab a handful of cookies. The very youngest students, not even as tall as Tat's desk, are weaving in and out around all the adults, trying to get some treats, most of which they will ultimately leave as crumbs all over a classroom floor. There is one chair beside the desk, where somebody could actually sit down, except for the fact that an uncaring teacher has left a stack of books on it. People lined up along The Chute are trying to work their way toward the desk so they can take care of their business. Things get really interesting when Tatiana has to leave her desk, go down The Chute to the closet on the left, to obtain some books or CDs for a student or teacher. You may also remember that the closet houses the offices of the director and the school's computer technician. Further down The Chute on the left and across from the entrance to the teacher room is the restroom.

I am looking forward to when my nightmares about being trapped in that restroom finally stop. Yes, The Chute was so crowded one evening that when I tried to open the door to exit the restroom I couldn't move it, because there were so many people jammed up against it. That restroom, tiny like everything else there, was not the last place I wanted to remember on this earth.